“Four New SVHCs added to the Candidate List”

The Candidate List of Substances of Very High Concern for Authorisation has been updated today, 16th June, to include four new substances. The total number of substances on the Candidate List now stands at 155.

The substances added in this revision include Cadmium Chloride, two boron substances and a phthalate.

Cadmium chloride (CdCl2) is a CMR substance (carcinogenic, mutagenic, toxic for reproduction) and is also a identified as being of equivalent concern due to its probable effects to human health, in particular, to kidneys and bones. CdCl2 is used in photocopying, dyeing and electroplating industries.

Each of the three additional substances added to the list are Toxic for Reproduction. Sodium Perborate and Sodium Peroxometaborate are used as detergents, bleaching agents, cleaning agents and cosmetic ingredients. 1,2-benzenedicarboxylic acid, dihexyl ester, branched and linear is used as a sealant/joining agent, and as a component in engine oil stabilizer and automotive lubricants.

Inclusion of substances onto the Candidate List triggers the following legal obligations;

If a Candidate List substance is present in an article, at quantities > 1 tonne per annum and at a concentration of > 0.1% w/w, the European Chemicals Agency must be notified within 6 months from date of publication (i.e. before 16th December 2014 for these substances). You must provide to the article recipient sufficient information for its safe use.
If the listed substance is present in a mixture at ≥1%, even if the mixture itself is non-hazardous, you must now list the SVHC on your Safety Data Sheet to inform EU importers that there is an SVHC present in the mixture. This is in addition to standard requirements for an SDS (Article 31 of REACH).

Now is the time to consider the substitution of these substances with alternatives if imported into the European Union, as these substances become one step closer to being listed on REACH Annex XIV (List of Substances subject to Authorisation). Authorisations for specific uses of substances on Annex XIV are only granted following a prolonged period of consultation and analysis of alternatives, and only where strict worker protection or socio-economic importance for continued use can be established.

If you currently manufacture, formulate or use any of the substances below for import into the European Union, you may have new regulatory duties. Please contact us at H2 Compliance where we can guide you on the legal obligations associated with this update.